One of the few studies of Indian theater to link the aesthetics and thepolitics of that theater, this book combinesin-depth archival research with close readings of dramatic texts performed atcritical moments in history. Each chapter amplifies its themes against thebackdrop of specific social conditions as it examines particular dramaticproductions, from The Indigo Mirror to adaptations of Shakespeare plays byIndian theater companies, illustrating the role of theater in bringingnationalist, anti-colonial, and gendered struggles into the public sphere.